EP3658490A1 - Method for improving efficiency of an ammonia synthesis gas plant - Google Patents

Method for improving efficiency of an ammonia synthesis gas plant

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Publication number
EP3658490A1
EP3658490A1 EP18739540.5A EP18739540A EP3658490A1 EP 3658490 A1 EP3658490 A1 EP 3658490A1 EP 18739540 A EP18739540 A EP 18739540A EP 3658490 A1 EP3658490 A1 EP 3658490A1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
gas
synthesis gas
unit
electrolysis
oxygen
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Granted
Application number
EP18739540.5A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP3658490B1 (en
Inventor
Pat A. Han
Annette E. KRØLL JENSEN
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Topsoe AS
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Haldor Topsoe AS
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01C—AMMONIA; CYANOGEN; COMPOUNDS THEREOF
    • C01C1/00—Ammonia; Compounds thereof
    • C01C1/02—Preparation, purification or separation of ammonia
    • C01C1/04—Preparation of ammonia by synthesis
    • C01C1/0405—Preparation of ammonia by synthesis from N2 and H2 in presence of a catalyst
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B3/00—Hydrogen; Gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen; Separation of hydrogen from mixtures containing it; Purification of hydrogen; Reversible storage of hydrogen
    • C01B3/02—Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen
    • C01B3/025—Preparation or purification of gas mixtures for ammonia synthesis
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B3/00—Hydrogen; Gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen; Separation of hydrogen from mixtures containing it; Purification of hydrogen; Reversible storage of hydrogen
    • C01B3/02—Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen
    • C01B3/32—Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen by reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds with gasifying agents, e.g. water, carbon dioxide or air
    • C01B3/34—Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen by reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds with gasifying agents, e.g. water, carbon dioxide or air by reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents
    • C01B3/38—Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen by reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds with gasifying agents, e.g. water, carbon dioxide or air by reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents using catalysts
    • C01B3/382—Processes with two or more reaction steps, of which at least one is catalytic, e.g. steam reforming and partial oxidation
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B3/00—Hydrogen; Gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen; Separation of hydrogen from mixtures containing it; Purification of hydrogen; Reversible storage of hydrogen
    • C01B3/02—Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen
    • C01B3/32—Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen by reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds with gasifying agents, e.g. water, carbon dioxide or air
    • C01B3/34—Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen by reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds with gasifying agents, e.g. water, carbon dioxide or air by reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents
    • C01B3/38—Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen by reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds with gasifying agents, e.g. water, carbon dioxide or air by reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents using catalysts
    • C01B3/384—Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen by reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds with gasifying agents, e.g. water, carbon dioxide or air by reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents using catalysts with external heating of the catalyst
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B3/00—Hydrogen; Gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen; Separation of hydrogen from mixtures containing it; Purification of hydrogen; Reversible storage of hydrogen
    • C01B3/02—Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen
    • C01B3/32—Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen by reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds with gasifying agents, e.g. water, carbon dioxide or air
    • C01B3/34—Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen by reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds with gasifying agents, e.g. water, carbon dioxide or air by reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents
    • C01B3/48—Production of hydrogen; Production of gaseous mixtures containing hydrogen by reaction of gaseous or liquid organic compounds with gasifying agents, e.g. water, carbon dioxide or air by reaction of hydrocarbons with gasifying agents followed by reaction of water vapour with carbon monoxide
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01C—AMMONIA; CYANOGEN; COMPOUNDS THEREOF
    • C01C1/00—Ammonia; Compounds thereof
    • C01C1/02—Preparation, purification or separation of ammonia
    • C01C1/04—Preparation of ammonia by synthesis
    • C01C1/0405—Preparation of ammonia by synthesis from N2 and H2 in presence of a catalyst
    • C01C1/0417—Preparation of ammonia by synthesis from N2 and H2 in presence of a catalyst characterised by the synthesis reactor, e.g. arrangement of catalyst beds and heat exchangers in the reactor
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C07—ORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C07C—ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
    • C07C1/00—Preparation of hydrocarbons from one or more compounds, none of them being a hydrocarbon
    • C07C1/02—Preparation of hydrocarbons from one or more compounds, none of them being a hydrocarbon from oxides of a carbon
    • C07C1/12—Preparation of hydrocarbons from one or more compounds, none of them being a hydrocarbon from oxides of a carbon from carbon dioxide with hydrogen
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B1/00—Electrolytic production of inorganic compounds or non-metals
    • C25B1/01—Products
    • C25B1/02—Hydrogen or oxygen
    • C25B1/04—Hydrogen or oxygen by electrolysis of water
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B15/00—Operating or servicing cells
    • C25B15/08—Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B15/00—Operating or servicing cells
    • C25B15/08—Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes
    • C25B15/081—Supplying products to non-electrochemical reactors that are combined with the electrochemical cell, e.g. Sabatier reactor
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES FOR THE PRODUCTION OF COMPOUNDS OR NON-METALS; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25B15/00—Operating or servicing cells
    • C25B15/08—Supplying or removing reactants or electrolytes; Regeneration of electrolytes
    • C25B15/083—Separating products
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B2203/00—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/02—Processes for making hydrogen or synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/0205—Processes for making hydrogen or synthesis gas containing a reforming step
    • C01B2203/0227—Processes for making hydrogen or synthesis gas containing a reforming step containing a catalytic reforming step
    • C01B2203/0233—Processes for making hydrogen or synthesis gas containing a reforming step containing a catalytic reforming step the reforming step being a steam reforming step
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B2203/00—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/02—Processes for making hydrogen or synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/0283—Processes for making hydrogen or synthesis gas containing a CO-shift step, i.e. a water gas shift step
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B2203/00—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/04—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas containing a purification step for the hydrogen or the synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/0435—Catalytic purification
    • C01B2203/0445—Selective methanation
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B2203/00—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/04—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas containing a purification step for the hydrogen or the synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/0455—Purification by non-catalytic desulfurisation
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B2203/00—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/04—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas containing a purification step for the hydrogen or the synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/0465—Composition of the impurity
    • C01B2203/0475—Composition of the impurity the impurity being carbon dioxide
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B2203/00—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/06—Integration with other chemical processes
    • C01B2203/068—Ammonia synthesis
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B2203/00—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/08—Methods of heating or cooling
    • C01B2203/0805—Methods of heating the process for making hydrogen or synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/0811—Methods of heating the process for making hydrogen or synthesis gas by combustion of fuel
    • C01B2203/0816—Heating by flames
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B2203/00—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/14—Details of the flowsheet
    • C01B2203/141—At least two reforming, decomposition or partial oxidation steps in parallel
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C01—INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
    • C01B—NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C
    • C01B2203/00—Integrated processes for the production of hydrogen or synthesis gas
    • C01B2203/14—Details of the flowsheet
    • C01B2203/146—At least two purification steps in series
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/36—Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P20/00—Technologies relating to chemical industry
    • Y02P20/10—Process efficiency
    • Y02P20/133—Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P20/00—Technologies relating to chemical industry
    • Y02P20/50—Improvements relating to the production of bulk chemicals
    • Y02P20/52—Improvements relating to the production of bulk chemicals using catalysts, e.g. selective catalysts

Definitions

  • the present application is directed to the preparation of ammonia synthesis gas. More particular, the invention is a method for improving efficiency of a conventional am ⁇ monia synthesis gas plant by combining electrolysis of wa ⁇ ter and the conventional primary and secondary steam re ⁇ forming of a hydrocarbon feed stock for the preparation of hydrogen and nitrogen containing ammonia synthesis gas.
  • Ammonia synthesis gas is conventionally prepared by sub ⁇ jecting hydrocarbon feed typically natural gas and/or higher hydrocarbons to endothermic steam reforming reac ⁇ tions in a fired tubular primary steam reformer by contact with a steam reforming catalyst.
  • the primary reformed gas is then fed into a secondary adiabatic steam reformer, wherein part of hydrogen formed in the primary steam reforming and residual amounts of hydrocarbons in the gas from the primary steam reforming are partial oxidized with air and steam and subsequently reformed in presence of a secondary reforming catalyst.
  • raw synthesis gas is withdrawn containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide formed during reaction of the feedstock in the above steam reforming reactions and nitro ⁇ gen introduced into the gas through addition of air in the secondary reforming step.
  • the disadvantage of the primary and secondary reforming process is a relatively high hydrocarbon feed stock and fuel consumption for use in heating the endothermic primary steam reforming in the fired primary steam reformer and consequently a large CO 2 emission in the flue gas from burners used to heat the reformer.
  • the CO 2 product can be captured from the process and used for downstream processes such as urea production or enhanced oil recovery.
  • Secondary steam reforming comprises partial oxidation, using oxygen containing atmosphere, of a primary reformed feed gas to CO, CO 2 , 3 ⁇ 4, 3 ⁇ 40 and remaining hydrocarbon and subsequently steam reforming of the hydrocarbon to form raw synthesis gas.
  • the carbon dioxide contained in the shifted ammonia synthe ⁇ sis gas is then removed in a carbon dioxide removal pro ⁇ cess. Remaining amounts of carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide in the ammonia synthesis gas from the carbon dioxide re ⁇ moval process are removed by methanation in a chemical re ⁇ action that converts carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide to methane.
  • the thus prepared ammonia synthesis gas is introduced into an ammonia make up gas compressor and sent into the ammonia production unit.
  • the present invention is based on establishing a combina ⁇ tion of the fired primary steam reforming process and the secondary reforming process using air or oxygen enriched air in the operation of the secondary reformer burner and a new implemented step of electrolysis of water for the pro- duction of ammonia synthesis gas.
  • this invention provides method of improving effi ⁇ ciency of an ammonia synthesis gas plant
  • the ammonia syn ⁇ thesis gas plant comprises a fired primary steam reformer and a secondary steam reformer operated with an oxygen con- taining atmosphere, a water gas shift unit, a carbon diox ⁇ ide removal unit, a methanation step and an ammonia synthe ⁇ sis gas compressor, the method comprises the steps of
  • the method of the invention can be used to improve effi ⁇ ciency of an existing ammonia synthesis gas plant operated with primary and secondary reforming or in a new plant with primary and secondary reforming.
  • the improvement of an existing or a new ammonia synthesis gas plant by the method of the invention aims to increase the production capacity of the plant and/or to save fuel in the fired primary steam reformer at a fixed capacity, as oxygen from water elec- trolysis provides heat for the reforming reaction in the secondary reformer.
  • the duty of the primary reformer is decreased, when the oxygen content in the oxygen containing atmosphere in the secondary reformer is increased with the oxygen prepared in the water electrolysis.
  • the hydrocarbon slip in the gas from the pri ⁇ mary reformer increases and the gas exit temperature de- creases, which again results in lower fuel consumption for firing the primary reformer. Due to the lower fuel consumption, the reformer tube wall temperature is reduced, re ⁇ sulting in a significantly longer tube life time.
  • Another advantage is that the overall hydrocarbon slip out ⁇ let the secondary reformer can be the same as in conventional plants without electrolysis or can be reduced to ob ⁇ tain improved synthesis gas composition because of reduced content of inerts resulting in reduced purge from the ammo- nia loop and thus a more efficient utilization of the feed stock .
  • the method according to the invention provides further ad ⁇ vantage of less emission of CO 2 from the primary flue gas stack.
  • the oxygen product from electrolysis of water is advantageously used for partial oxidation in secondary reformer resulting in a reduced size of the primary reformer in a new plant or reduced load in an existing plant, which is a costly and an energy intensive unit and process.
  • energy for op ⁇ erating the electrolysis unit can be renewable energy gen ⁇ erated by windmills, solar cells, hydraulic energy or other renewables .
  • the elec ⁇ trolysis unit is powered by renewable energy.
  • the electrolysis of water is performed at ele ⁇ vated pressure according to process air compressor dis- charge pressure, which delivers the prepared stream of oxy ⁇ gen at elevated pressure to the burner of the secondary re ⁇ former and the hydrogen stream to the synthesis gas compressor and/or to the methanation step.
  • the elec ⁇ trolysis unit is pressurized.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Inorganic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Analytical Chemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Oil, Petroleum & Natural Gas (AREA)
  • Hydrogen, Water And Hydrids (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Non-Metals, Compounds, Apparatuses Therefor (AREA)
  • Industrial Gases (AREA)
  • Organic Low-Molecular-Weight Compounds And Preparation Thereof (AREA)
  • Oxygen, Ozone, And Oxides In General (AREA)

Abstract

L'invention concerne un procédé destiné à améliorer l'efficacité d'une installation de gaz de synthèse d'ammoniac existante ou nouvelle, par la création d'une combinaison de reformage de vapeur secondaire au moyen de l'oxygène issu de l'électrolyse de l'eau pour la production de gaz de synthèse d'ammoniac.The invention relates to a method for improving the efficiency of an existing or new ammonia synthesis gas plant by creating a combination of secondary steam reforming using oxygen from electrolysis. water for the production of ammonia synthesis gas.

Description

Title: Method for improving efficiency of an ammonia synthesis gas plant
The present application is directed to the preparation of ammonia synthesis gas. More particular, the invention is a method for improving efficiency of a conventional am¬ monia synthesis gas plant by combining electrolysis of wa¬ ter and the conventional primary and secondary steam re¬ forming of a hydrocarbon feed stock for the preparation of hydrogen and nitrogen containing ammonia synthesis gas.
Ammonia synthesis gas is conventionally prepared by sub¬ jecting hydrocarbon feed typically natural gas and/or higher hydrocarbons to endothermic steam reforming reac¬ tions in a fired tubular primary steam reformer by contact with a steam reforming catalyst. The primary reformed gas is then fed into a secondary adiabatic steam reformer, wherein part of hydrogen formed in the primary steam reforming and residual amounts of hydrocarbons in the gas from the primary steam reforming are partial oxidized with air and steam and subsequently reformed in presence of a secondary reforming catalyst. From the secondary reformer, raw synthesis gas is withdrawn containing hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide formed during reaction of the feedstock in the above steam reforming reactions and nitro¬ gen introduced into the gas through addition of air in the secondary reforming step.
The disadvantage of the primary and secondary reforming process is a relatively high hydrocarbon feed stock and fuel consumption for use in heating the endothermic primary steam reforming in the fired primary steam reformer and consequently a large CO2 emission in the flue gas from burners used to heat the reformer. The CO2 product can be captured from the process and used for downstream processes such as urea production or enhanced oil recovery.
However, primary and secondary steam reforming is still frequently employed in the industry, particularly in exist¬ ing reforming plants for the production of ammonia synthe¬ sis gas.
Secondary steam reforming comprises partial oxidation, using oxygen containing atmosphere, of a primary reformed feed gas to CO, CO2, ¾, ¾0 and remaining hydrocarbon and subsequently steam reforming of the hydrocarbon to form raw synthesis gas.
Recently, a combination of electrolysis of water for pro¬ duction of hydrogen and air separation for the production of nitrogen has been envisaged for the preparation of ammo- nia synthesis gas, at least in patent literature. The thus produced hydrogen and nitrogen are combined in stoichio¬ metric ratios to form synthesis gas for ammonia production. The disadvantage of the combination of electrolysis and air separation is, however, that oxygen is produced as by-prod- uct in both electrolysis and air separation, which has no use in the ammonia synthesis, and can be considered as en¬ ergy loss.
Typically, existing industrial ammonia synthesis gas plants, the so-called front end of an ammonia plant com¬ prise as already mentioned above, a fired primary steam re- former, a secondary steam reformer with a burner at gas inlet side and a steam reforming catalyst bed at gas outlet side. The burner is typically operated with air. The raw ammonia synthesis gas withdrawn from the secondary steam reformer is subsequently treated in a water gas shift unit for the production of further hydrogen and conversion of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide by the known water gas shift reaction.
The carbon dioxide contained in the shifted ammonia synthe¬ sis gas is then removed in a carbon dioxide removal pro¬ cess. Remaining amounts of carbon dioxide and/or carbon monoxide in the ammonia synthesis gas from the carbon dioxide re¬ moval process are removed by methanation in a chemical re¬ action that converts carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide to methane.
The thus prepared ammonia synthesis gas is introduced into an ammonia make up gas compressor and sent into the ammonia production unit. The present invention is based on establishing a combina¬ tion of the fired primary steam reforming process and the secondary reforming process using air or oxygen enriched air in the operation of the secondary reformer burner and a new implemented step of electrolysis of water for the pro- duction of ammonia synthesis gas. Thus, this invention provides method of improving effi¬ ciency of an ammonia synthesis gas plant, the ammonia syn¬ thesis gas plant comprises a fired primary steam reformer and a secondary steam reformer operated with an oxygen con- taining atmosphere, a water gas shift unit, a carbon diox¬ ide removal unit, a methanation step and an ammonia synthe¬ sis gas compressor, the method comprises the steps of
(a) establishing an electrolysis unit and preparing a sepa- rate hydrogen gas containing stream and a separate oxygen gas containing stream by electrolysis of water;
(b) establishing a gas pipe for transporting the separate hydrogen gas containing stream from the electrolysis unit to the synthesis gas compressor and/or to the methanation step; and
(c) establishing a gas pipe for transporting at least part of the separate oxygen gas stream from the electrolysis unit to a burner in the secondary reformer.
The method of the invention can be used to improve effi¬ ciency of an existing ammonia synthesis gas plant operated with primary and secondary reforming or in a new plant with primary and secondary reforming. The improvement of an existing or a new ammonia synthesis gas plant by the method of the invention aims to increase the production capacity of the plant and/or to save fuel in the fired primary steam reformer at a fixed capacity, as oxygen from water elec- trolysis provides heat for the reforming reaction in the secondary reformer. Thereby, the duty of the primary reformer is decreased, when the oxygen content in the oxygen containing atmosphere in the secondary reformer is increased with the oxygen prepared in the water electrolysis. As a result, the hydrocarbon slip in the gas from the pri¬ mary reformer increases and the gas exit temperature de- creases, which again results in lower fuel consumption for firing the primary reformer. Due to the lower fuel consumption, the reformer tube wall temperature is reduced, re¬ sulting in a significantly longer tube life time. Another advantage is that the overall hydrocarbon slip out¬ let the secondary reformer can be the same as in conventional plants without electrolysis or can be reduced to ob¬ tain improved synthesis gas composition because of reduced content of inerts resulting in reduced purge from the ammo- nia loop and thus a more efficient utilization of the feed stock .
The method according to the invention provides further ad¬ vantage of less emission of CO2 from the primary flue gas stack.
Still an advantage is that the CO2 partial pressure is in¬ creased at inlet to the carbon dioxide removal unit, which improves the carbon dioxide removal efficiency by reducing the required energy consumption.
Compared to prior art methods using electrolysis of water for hydrogen production and air separation for nitrogen production, the oxygen product from electrolysis of water is advantageously used for partial oxidation in secondary reformer resulting in a reduced size of the primary reformer in a new plant or reduced load in an existing plant, which is a costly and an energy intensive unit and process. Still an advantage of the invention is that energy for op¬ erating the electrolysis unit can be renewable energy gen¬ erated by windmills, solar cells, hydraulic energy or other renewables . Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the elec¬ trolysis unit is powered by renewable energy.
Preferably, the electrolysis of water is performed at ele¬ vated pressure according to process air compressor dis- charge pressure, which delivers the prepared stream of oxy¬ gen at elevated pressure to the burner of the secondary re¬ former and the hydrogen stream to the synthesis gas compressor and/or to the methanation step. Thus, in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the elec¬ trolysis unit is pressurized.
The synergy in combining water electrolysis with secondary reforming technology for ammonia synthesis gas production, results in overall savings of hydrocarbon feedstock and fuel for the reforming process.
In Table 1 below, key figures of ammonia synthesis gas preparation are given for a 2200 MTPD ammonia plant for comparison of conventional syngas technologies and conven¬ tional syngas technology combined with water electrolysis.
Table 1

Claims

Claims
1. A method of improving efficiency of an ammonia synthe¬ sis gas plant, the ammonia synthesis gas plant comprises a fired primary steam reformer and a secondary steam reformer operated with an oxygen containing atmosphere, a water gas shift unit, a carbon dioxide removal unit, a methanation step and an ammonia synthesis gas compressor, the method comprises the steps of
(a) establishing an electrolysis unit and preparing a sepa¬ rate hydrogen gas containing stream and a separate oxygen gas containing stream by electrolysis of water; (b) establishing a gas pipe for transporting the separate hydrogen gas containing stream from the electrolysis unit to the synthesis gas compressor and/or to the methanation step; and (c) establishing a gas pipe for transporting at least part of the separate oxygen gas stream from the electrolysis unit to a burner in the secondary reformer.
2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the electrol- ysis unit is powered by renewable energy.
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the oxygen containing atmosphere, is air enriched with oxygen from the separate oxygen gas stream.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the electrolysis unit is pressurized.
5. Improved ammonia synthesis gas plant comprising a fired primary steam reformer and a secondary steam reformer operated with an oxygen containing atmosphere, a water gas shift unit, a carbon dioxide removal unit, a methanation reactor and an ammonia synthesis gas compressor, wherein the ammonia synthesis gas plant further comprises an elec- trolysis unit providing a separate hydrogen containing stream and a separate oxygen gas containing stream by electrolysis of water and a gas pipe for transporting the sepa¬ rate hydrogen gas containing stream from the electrolysis unit to the synthesis gas compressor and/or to the methana- tion reactor and a gas pipe for transporting at least part of the separate oxygen gas stream from the electrolysis unit upstream or into a burner in the secondary reformer.
EP18739540.5A 2017-07-25 2018-07-11 Method for improving efficiency of an ammonia synthesis gas plant Active EP3658490B1 (en)

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